USA > Indiana > Greene County > Early history of Greene County, Indiana : as taken from the official records, and compiled from authentic recollection, by pioneer settlers including brief sketches of pioneer families. > Part 5
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Mr. Jones came to this county about the time or before the organi- zation, while he was a boy, and lived here continuously until his death, which occurred in 1874. He was a man of uniform good habits and char- acter, and a man of superior intelli- gence. He filled, with honor to him- self and benefit to the people, many offices of trust, among which were County Commissioner, Auditor and Representative in the Legislature.
'This year, the system of justices acting as a Board of Commissioners was changed, and the system of three County Commissioners was ad- opted. The first Board under this change was composed of Samuel Si- mons, William O'Neall and Jesse Rainbolt.
The county drew from the State $2,000 to expend on bridges.
The expenses of the county, exclu- sive of expense attending building of court house, amounted to $1,226 94}, of which over one-third was ; pauper expense and jury fees. Under the law at that time, the jury system was ruinously expensive ; nearly one- third of the whole county expenses was jury fees for several years. The great cause of this was from the reg- ular number of jurors. At'each term of court there were sixty-six regular jurors-eighteen grand jurors and forty-eightpettit jurors. Of the pet- tit jury, twenty-four would attend one week and the other twenty-four the second week, but only twelve would try a case.
The Treasurer's fees for this year were $46 28.
The Assessors' fees were $83 00.
CHAPTER IX.
OR the year 1737, Elisha M. Huntington, former Prosecu- ting Attorney, appeared as president Judge of the Circuit Court, and George F. Waterman was ad- mitted to practice law. During this year, one of our oldest settlers and one well known, procured a divorce. It was Nancy Hatfield. She never married afterwards, but lived to be quite old and until all her children had died. She was a good financer, and accumulated a considerable for- tune by her frugality and good man- agement. The first case of John Doe against Richard Roe was instituted this year. These parties continued to appear in court as opposing par- ties in Greene county, at almost eve- ry term of court, from 1837 to 1853, a period of sixteen years ; yet, during the whole time, neither John Doe or Richard Roe ever had any conversa- tion or neighborly sociability with any of the people, nor did either of them ever pay any attorney's fees or other cost. They both died on the same day, in 1853, by a disease called "new practice," and no one mourned their demise.
In 1838, Levi Fellows again ap- peared as Associate Judge, and took the place formerly filled by Judge Cole. George Gibson and H. H. Throop were admitted to practice .- One of the most noted trials of this ycar, was a case of E. P. Cushman, as Treasurer of the county, against John B. Ferrel, and his sureties, on his bond, as collector. The Court rendered a judgment for $1.672 523. The county stood much in need of the money, as the. Court House was then in process of being built. An- other somewhat noted case, was an action for slander. A young lady, not yet of age, had been badly slan- dered, and she appealed to a jury of her countrymen, for redress. De- fendant plead justification, but failed to satisfy the jury, and they returned a verdict against him for four thous-
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The Early History of Greene County.
and dollars. No amount of money can compensate a pure and spotless woman for loss of character, yet it muy deter others from uttering false- hoods against other women of un- blemished character.
This year, G. R. H. Moore was ap- pointed Assessor for the whole coun- ty, and John Hill was appointed Col- lector. All the other officers contin- ued in office.
Mr. Hill was one of the very earl- iest settlers in the county, and we believe it is safe to say that he was the closest Collector that ever held the office in our county. His delinquent list was very small. The old citizens refer to him as a model. He per- formed his full duty, never swerving through favor or affection. "The bill is, them tax," is reported to be one of his favorite expressions. Although not exactly in conformity with gram- matical rules, yet it was certainly to the point. He lived to be quite an old man, and was respected and hon- ored by all who knew him.
Wright township was established this year. The firm of Lester & Jones, composed of Willis D. Lester and John. Jones, Jr., opened out bus- iness in Bloomfield. They have been more fully noticed heretofore.
The contract for building the sem- inary was let this year, but it was not built for several years afterwards. This year, M. H. Shryer took out li- cense to vend merchandise. He came to the county several years be- fore, and appeared willing to turn his hand to almost any honest em- ployment. He has been engaged in merchandising, manufacturing iron, steamboating, farming and banking. He is extensively noted for his supe- rior business qualifications, and has accumulated a handsome fortune, and at the same time been liberal towards all benevolent institutions and to- wards the poor. Some persons are envious of any other person who suc- ceeds in life, and are ever ready to suggest some unfair dealing, or some expression of the unfortunate. With
this man no instance of oppression ean be alleged against him ; but many of his neighbors can bear testimony to his uniform generosity and years of indulgence. A few years ago he wrote a very bad hand, resulting from his hurry rather than inability. He sent a bill of exchange to New York, and the banker was unable to deci- pher his name, and was compelled to send it to the bank at Terre Haute, in order to learn his name, before it could be honored. Only a short time ago, a note given at an administra- tor's sale, was presented to an attor- ney in town, with the statement that no one could tell whose note it was- that it had been examined by the whole neighborhood where the sale had been made, and no one could tell who signed it-that no one lived in the neighborhood whose name was anything like it. It was a note given by Mr. Shryer for property that he had given to a poor and distressed man. In late years, Mr. Shryer has become almost blind at times from neuralgia, and since partially losing his eye-sight, he writes a tolerably fair, plain hand.
The county expense this year, out- side of building court house, was $1,444 36, of which nearly half. was jury fees and pauper expense.
The Treasurer's fees were $87 22. The Assessor's fees were $80 00.
For the year 1839, John R. Dixson was Sheriff, and William N. Norris, Assessor. The other officers were same as year before.
Major John R. Dixson was a very early settler, having settled on the west side of the river. He served as Sheriff four years. He was remark- able for his gallantry toward the la- dies, his kindness to children, and his general cleverness toward the people, with whom he was very pop- ular. At one time, when a candidate, he addressed the people at a place known as Fairplay settlement. The settlers had turned out from nearly all portions of the county, and par- ticularly from the west side of the
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The Early History of Greene County.
river. It was a big rally for the / times. In his speech he said, among other things : "Fellow-citizens : It has been circulated at the settlements of the county, that I have not been in the county long enough to entitle me to the votes of the people. I am glad to meet so many of my fellow- citizens in this settlement to-day, for there is not a man, woman or child in the settlement, but what knows I made the first cow track ever made by a white man on these prairies."
This speech was electrical. Such a charge against such a man was so preposterous that all parties in that settlement felt constrained to rebuke the calumniator, and they voted for and elected the gallant Major.
This year, David McDonald ap- peared as Judge of the Circuit Court, and continued in office as Judge un- til the close of the year 1852. He was more extensively mentioned in a former. chapter. There were admit- ted to practice law, Thomas H. Car- son, Basil Champer, Samuel Howe Smydth, Samuel. B. Gookins and Richard W. Thompson. John S. Watts appeared as Prosecuting At- torney.
Thos. H. Carson located at Bloom- field and practiced law there for eight or ten years, and then went back to Kentucky, from whence he came. He also filled the office of County Auditor during a portion of the time he resided in the county. The last time we heard of him he was a cap- tain in the Federal army, and inquir- ing for Greene county, Indiana, sol- diers. Mr. Champer was a man of more than ordinary talent in his pro- fession, but died very early in life. John S. Watts was a man of fair abil- ity, was appointed to a Judgeship in New Mexico by Mr. Filmore, and finally made that territory his home. Samuel Howe Smydth was said to have been a very brilliant young man. He went to France to travel for his health, and died there. The hopes that in his life's bright morn decked the future with golden tints,
were permaturely dispelled before the "high noon" of life. We have heard that he had no superior among the men of his age. He was a brother to Dr. William C. Smydth, who is an old settler and honored citizen in our midst. Samuel B. Gookins was a lawyer and judge of the highest grade. For a short time he was judge on the Supreme Bench of Indiana. Several years ago he located in Chicago, in which city he at once took front ranks as an attorney. He was remarkably genial, pleasant and courteous in his manners. Colonel Dick Thompson, as he has been familiarly called by our citizens for many years, is so well known by almost every one that it is hardly worth while to say any- thing about him. He is a man of great natural ability, to which has been added the highest intellectual culture. For thirty-five years he has been regarded as one of the ablest menin Indiana. In early life he served in the Lower House of Congress. He would have been an ornament to the Senate in its palmiest days, and a peer of the men who have giv- en renown to our civil government ; and would have reflected such an honor on our State as would have filled our hearts with State pride. For many years he has taken a lead- ing part in the political conventions of his party, and usually drafts the platforms. He is the "noblest Ro- man of them all."
It was during this year that Joseph Eveleigh and William Eveleigh de- clared their intention to become cit- izens of the United States. They resided here many years, and Joseph married the first girl that was born in the settlement. He is well known all over the county as having kept for many years the "Old Stand," and as being one of our best citizens.
At this time in our history there was a very fair county library. The old trustees had passed the manage- ment of it into other hands. E. P. Cushman, John Jones, Jr., W N. Norris, Dr. John Townsend and Dr.
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The Early History of Greene County.
William Freeland were the trustees. The old log school house had been abandoned and a neat brick school house had been erected near the present residence of William Wines. There had formerly been a school house on or near the southwest cor- her of the block of lots directly west of the public square; and, later, there was a house used for a school house where the "Old Stand " now stands.
While we do not pretend to be able to mention all of the old settlers, nor, in fact, any considerable portion of those who were here in the year of which we are now writing about, yet there is one we have not men- tioned, and will now call the atten- tion of our readers to. Dr. Jeremiah Staggs was a delicate, small man, and would weigh less than one hun- dred pounds. He was a "root and yearb" doctor. The boys of the town, in the early days, were "moved and instigated" by the desire for fun, ful- ly as much as they now are, and very often the doctor, on going out in the morning, would find his door block- nded with May-apple and other roots. He endured with commendable pati- ence these tricks of the boys. There lived in town, at the same time, a large, robust, stout man, by the name of Sullivan, who would weigh about two hundred pounds. Sullivan cir- culated some very slanderous remarks about the doctor. A very usual mode of redress in that day, and per- haps the proper one, was to appeal to the courts by proper action. The gallant doctor elected to vindicate his honor by an appeal to the raw- hide. He deliberately stepped into a store, purchased a rawhide, walked out on the street, near the northeast corner of the public square, and took Mr. Sullivan by the hand and severe- ly "cowhided" him. Sullivan unre- sistingly submitted to it, although he might have handled his assailant with perfect ease. This was an illustra- tion of the oft-repeated declaration, that "victory is not always to the strong." Mr. Sullivan appealed to
the court for redress for his suffering body and injured feelings, and a jury of his countrymen gave him.a judg- ment for twenty-six dollars and twen- ty-five cents.
The expense of the county this year, aside from building court house, was $1,548 27, of which over one- half was for jurors and pauper ex- pense, and more than one-third was for jury fees alone.
Our efficient Collector collected $1,941 57.
The Treasurer's fees were $41 33. The Assessors' fees were $106 00. Economy still prevailed in the county.
CHAPTER X.
REAT political excitement was the order of the day in the year 1840. A log cabin was erected on the public square, at Bloomfield for the campaign, and on public days a coon was chained to the cabin. Old men say that it was an era of political giants. The most temperate Whigs wouldindulge in hard cider, and Dem- ocrats, who preferred hard cider, this year, took it sweet.
The county officers were the same as the year before, and so were the officers of the courts. E. S. Terry, General J. B. Lowe and George G. Dunn, were admitted to practice law in our court. General Lowe was ong of the very early settlers of Monroe county, where he lived from youth to be a very old man. E. S. Terry resided at Washington, for many years. He was a graduate at West Point, but resigned his commission and devoted himself to the practice of law. He was regarded in his pro- fession as a man of fine ability. In what was called an "affair of honor" between George G. Dunn and James Hughes some years after this period, Mr. Terry and Major HI. S. Living- ston were seconds for the parties. If we are not mistaken Major Living- ston was second for Judge Hughes, and Judge Terry was second for Mr.
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The Early History of Greene County.
Dunn. The "affair of honor" was settled by the seconds in such a man- ner as to make it satisfactory and honorable to all parties without the effusion of blood. George G. Dunn has been dead for several years. It is believed that his over exertion in the campaign of 1854, sowed the seed that grew up into his death. He served several terms in Congress. It is said when he spoke in the House, the Senate chamber would be desert- ed. He was probably the best stump speaker in Indiana in his day. He always said that Joseph G. Marshall was the best. Judge Hughes was a man of very superior ability, and was regarded as one of the best lawyers in the State. He passed away in the meridian of life.
Several well known persons de- clared their intention to become cit- izens of the United States this year, Isaac Ward, Francis Clayton, James Hague and Robert Tibbits. The first case of usury ever tried in the county came up this year.
John B. Stropes commenced busi- hess this year. He came here when a boy, with his father Adam Stropes. He was a remarkable quiet man, had very little to say except to the point, but was a thoughtful man. In his life time, he was almost a living en- cyclopedia of early history in Greene county. He was very popular with the people, both in his party and with the opposite party. He served two terms as Treasurer of the county, but probably made less than he would have made at his business. He cer- tainly made no money as a politician. He has been dead several years. He was one of our best men.
The collections this year amounted to $2,206 19, about $700 of which was from a former defaulting collec- tor.
The county expense was $1,668 53, over one third of which was juror's fees.
[office as the year before, except that John Crook was appointed to assess the west side of the river, while Mr. Norris assessed the east side.
George Rea, a well known and highly respected Irish citizen, took up his abode in the county with the intention of remaining with us. He had not been here long until he found a Jewel more dear' to his heart than anything he had left in Old Ireland, or anything else he had found in America: But alas! in later years he lost his Jewel, and for many years he has "trodden the wine press alone."
This year Judge Edwards and Judge Joel B. Sexton appeared as as- sociato judges, and R. H. Rousseau and L. H. Rousseau located in Bloom- field, and were admitted to practice law in our court.
Judge Sexton will be remembered by many of the older citizens, al- though he has been dead several years. He settled at a very early day in Burlingame township, and for many years was one of our . leading men and best citizens.
The Rousseaus were both men of superior ability-both resided here several years and filled places of honor and trust in the county. L. H. Rousseau commanded the Greene county company in the Mexican war, and in the late war become eminent as a Major-General. He has quite a number of namesakes in our county.
Up to 1841, our county officials failed to keep a record of the elec- tions, or if it was kept it has been lost: This year, however, and the years following full records were kept and preserved. The officers for the year 1842 were elected the year be- fore. David M. Dobson was elected Senator; John F. O'Neall, Represent- ative ; John Hill, Treasurer; John C. Brown, Assessor; and T. H. Car- son, Auditor.
At this time and for some years before and after John F. O'Neall was the Democratic standard bearer for
The Treasurer's fees were, $81 03 The Assessors' fees were, $129 12} In 1811 the same officers were in the county. He was a man of fuir
The Early History of Greene County.
ability, scrupulously honest in his tion, and gave evident indication of dealings with men, and was regarded as an extra stump speaker. He has been dead a number of years.
During this period John F. Allison bore the standard of the Whig party. He was their leader in a number of campaigns, and often lead them to victory. He is yet among us, but takes no active part in politics. For many years he was regarded as the best stump speaker in the Whig party in the county.
During this year Sarah Smith, widow of Thomas Smith, applied to have Smith's ferry re-established in her name.
It appears that in that carly day there was some doubt as to the pro- priety of extending ferry privileges to a woman, and the Commissioners held it over, unable to decide the question. At the next term the question was pressed with great vig- or by Major Livingston on behalf of the lady, and was resisted vigorously by L. H. Rousseau on behalf of a man who wanted a ferry near there. The Commissioners after much thought finally decided the case in favor of Mrs. Smith. The Commis- sioners this year were Samuel Sim- mons. Frederick Slinkard and James Fuller.
Center township was organized this year, and was named Center in consequence of being the center part of old Burlingame township.
During the latter part of this year new duties were attached by law to the office of Treasurer. It was the first year that the office of Treasurer and Collector were consolidated and became one office, and in addition to duties heretofore devolving upon these officers, other duties were pre- scribed.
Mr. Hill who had performed the duties up to this time determined to resign, and the authorites were called upon by him to select his successor. They looked around and finally se- lected a delicate looking, sickly young man, who had acquired a fair educa-
good business qualifications. This young man was William Mason, Ile accepted the appointment and was afterwards re-elected several times, und made one of the most efficient officers that we have ever had.
The county Auditor's fee this year, being the first year of the exis- tence of the office, was $32 00.
The expense of the county gradu- ally became larger and larger, de- pending to a great extent upon the public improvements, yet compared with recent years they were very low. Before 1850, to which time we will probably extend our history, the county expense never got up to $4,- 000 for any one year. Those who have been reading the history up to this time may remember that Ezekiel Herrington was the first man who di- vorced his wife in the county, and that in turn he was the first man against whom a divorce was granted. This year he is again brought into court on a complaint to procure a di- vorce. For two years he and his wife met only in strife. They had a long struggle but at last his wife came out victorious, and the courts did not take notice of his domestic relation again for some years after.
This year Andrew Downing star- ted a blast furnace for the purpose of making pig iron, and casting stoves, etc., about one mile from Bloomfield, and called it "Richland Furnace." This furnace continued in operation about eighteen years, and during the time other parties took an interest in it. It is a little wonderful that any one would go into an enterprise like that at a point so far from any ordin- ary means of transportation for such heavy freight. A considerable por- tion of the iron was hauled with horse teams to Louisville, a distance of one hundred miles, for which the team- sters would receive only five dollars per ton. Some years after the fur- nace was started, M. H. Shryer, Wil- liam Eveleigh and William Mason went into the business with Mr.
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The Early History of Greene County.
Downing. About that time they pur- chased a steamboat and called it "The Richland." This boat made several trips up: White river and took off iron and produce. Other steamboats oc- casionlly came up White river and took off loads of pig iron. With this uncertain mode of transportation the furnace continued the manufacture of pig iron for several years. Finally the partners all went out of the firm except Mr. Downing; and Chauncey Rose, E. J. Peck and A. L. Voorhees went into the firm. These men brought an increase of capital into the business, and they entered into it on a larger scale than before. In 1856 Henry Irons, a manager from an iron furnace in Kentucky, took charge of the whole thing, and prep- aration was made to start other fur- naces under his management. At. this time the Wabash and Erie Canal was in operation and the iron could be transported by canal boats. Un- der Mr. Irons' management every thing appeared to prosper, and a thriving little town sprang rapidly into existence around the furnace. Employment was given to a large number of workmen, and farmers found ready sale for their produce. When the Canal Company suspended improvement on the south end of the line, it cut off all means of transpor- tation, except by teams, and the fur- nace soon blew out and has not been rekindled since. It is said that when iron commanded a good price, this furnace company could make it pay, and hanl their iron thirty miles to a railroad.
There lies undeveloped beneath the surface of Greene county untold millions of dollars. Great mines of iron ore from six to thirty feet thick, and stratas of block coal from four to eight feet in thickness, underlies thousands and tens of thousands of our acres ; and just on the same sur- face we have abundance of limestone, and as fine timber as ever grew on Indiana soil. All these with an abundance of water, and rich pro -!
ductive farm lands are found in the same locality. Some counties have rich iron ore, some have abundance of coal, and others have timber and limestone. Seldom can all these things be found in abundance and of good quality in one locality.
In some localities in the county huge masses of iron ore lie upon the surface which have no doubt been thrown out by some convulsion of na- ture. Some of these masses will weigh several tons to the piece. When this furnace was first started, and teamsters were hauling pig iron to Louisville, they were hauling wheat there for 12} cents per bushel, and after hauling it there would sell it at fifty cents per bushel.
CHAPTER XI.
IME whereof the memory of man runneth - not to the con- trary," it has been said, reit- erated and very generally believed that "murder will out." And hun- dreds and, perhaps, thousands, of in- stances have been related in which the most energetic efforts for years to discover the murderer, have been - baffled; yet, in time, some circum- stance, perhaps trivial at first, would lead to the discovery. So uniformly has this been true, that whenever a murder has been discovered, even though shielded by what then ap- pears to be an impenetrable mystery, almost every one says, " Well, it will Jeak out; murder will out ;" and gen- erally it does leak out. Often the truth comes slow ; it may be link by link, until the chain is formed that encircles the guilty one. There was a case in our county that for thirty years has been a secret-a mystery. 'That is, no one is certain who the guilty party is, and the people have in turn urged different theories in re- gard to it.
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